Mechanism for teaching the piano



Oct. 14, 1952 J. H. WILLIAMS MECHANISM FOR TEACHING THE PIANO FiledMarch 1, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet l l a M MN hm R m m .H." O E Q \m m Km M WN m H RN M. M m..\ WW Z \w RM. 'IIU MQ\M 0/ QN M Q y W Q. 8 W w m N W QQ@WX =.Q% \l Pw wtkkwfiwQgbw qwt u 9 W N k w. A M ww :E::E: l: 1:= 22E::2. :EIL::EZEIIEIEZ TW- v QQGQOQOOOOQOOOQOGOQOOGOGOOOGOQQOQGOQO09000000oooenu onunumneeoooo 000000009600 v m\ WM QO sngmugotc QQO \v N.Q

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MECHANISM FOR TEACHING THE PIANO Filed March 1, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 2QQQKNQMQ S Y E N R m A I N VEN TOR.

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Oct. 14, 1952 Filed March 1, 1948 Patented Oct. 14, 1952 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE 3, Claims.

This invention relates to devices for facilitating instruction onmusical instruments and in particular an attachment for a piano that maybe stood upright over the keys to indicate a key that is struck, andwhich includes major scale transposing and chord guides, and means forholding some of the keys when it is desired to train a player to useonly certain keys in some scales.

This invention is an improvement over the instruction device of my priorpatent, Number l,564,392, in that instead of using the heavy bars on thekeys which caused an unnatural touch the construction is improved sothat relatively thin. light weight slides are used on the, keys, and thekey holding means is actuated by a small lever which, eliminates theends of the bars protruding beyond the ends of the keyboard. Theinvention also. includes other improvements in the charts and guides andstructural details as. hereinafter described.

The purpose of this inventionis to provide im proved means forindicating the name of each piano key as the key is operated and tosimultaneously locate the key note upon the staff so that a player willeasily and quickly learn the names of the keys and also the positionupon the staff of the note played.

In instructing beginners from piano instruction books it is difficult,particularly for a child to visualize the relative positions of the keyson the actual instrument and it is also difficult to asso ciate thepositions for the keys with the notes on the treble and bass staffs.With this thought in mind this invention includes a frame having aplurality of vertically positioned slides therein with notes and lettersdenoting the keys of a piano on the slides and meansfor positioning theframe on a piano with each slide resting on a key, and with superimposedcharts having openings therethrough through which the notes and lettersof the keys show as the key is struck.

The invention also includes means for hld ing certain keys of the pianoso that when a player is practising the scale of A sharp minor, as anillustration, all of the keys of the piano will be locked except thekeys used in playing this particular scale. To accomplish this resultthe invention includes a slider mounted on a bar below the outer ends ofthe keys with coacting groups of lugs on the slider, means for adjustingthe position of the slider, and means for actuating the slider tooperative and inoperative positions.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide improved meansfor visually indicating the name of a key played, the position of thenote corresponding therewith on the staff, and means for holding some ofthe keys by mechanically operating instrumentalities.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mechanical device forindicating the keys of a piano as they are played which may readily bepositioned on a keyboard.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mechanically operativedevice for visually indicating the keys of a piano as the keys areplayed in which a major scale transposing guide and also a chord guidemay be superimposed thereon and used in combination therewith.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for holding some ofthe keys of a piano to prevent playing thereof that may be incorporatedin the keyboard without protruding at the ends thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mechanically operatingdevice for indicating the keys of a piano as the keys are played, andalso means for holding some of the keys, which are of simple andeconomical constructions.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the inventionconsists of the new and novel. combinations, constructions, andarrangement of parts as hereinafter more fully described, set forth inthe claims appended hereto, and disclosed in the accompanying drawings,forming part hereof, wherein:

Figure l is a view showing a front elevation of the key indicatingdevice with a chart showing a staff thereon and openings therethroughcorresponding-with the keys.

Figure 2 is a view showing a front elevation of the mounting frame withthe key actuated slides thereon, with the slides lettered for playingflats.

Figure 3 is a similar view showing the opposite side of the framewherein the slides are lettered for playing sharps, and in which part isbroken away.

Figure 4 is a cross section through the frame taken on line 44 of Figure3.

Figure 5 is a detail showing one of the slides with the letters omitted.

Figure 6 is a detail on an enlarged scale showing trating a modificationwherein the chart holding slots are omitted in the inner edges of theside bars.

Figure is a detail showing indicia such as Gt showing through an openingin the chart, with parts broken away.

Figure 11 is a similar view showing G natural, showing through anopening in the chart.

Figure 12 is a similar view showing a note showing through an opening inthe chart.

Figure 13 is a view similar to that shown in Figure 1 showin a majorscale transposing guide in combination with the staff chart.

Figure 14 is a similar view with parts broken away showing a chord guidein combination with the staff chart.

Figure 15 is a view similar to that shown in Figure 1 illustrating apractise piano keyboard with the key indicating frame omitted, and withthe key locking indicator chart thereon.

Figure 16 is a longitudinal section through the keyboard shown in Figure15, taken on line i6-l S of Figure 17.

Figure 17 is a cross section through the keyboard with parts brokenaway, taken on line Ill 'i of Figure 16.

Figure 18 is a detail showing one of the key holding lugs of the sliderpositioned on the bar under the keys.

Figure 19 is a similar view showing the lug turned through an angle of90 wherein one end thereof is in contact with the lower surface of akey.

Figure 20 is a detail with parts shown in section illustrating theslider actuating grip extending through the front of the piano.

Figure 21 is a detail showing a section through one end of the keyboardtaken on line 3l2i showing the slider bar actuating lever, and withparts broken away.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters denotecorresponding parts the improved piano instruction device of thisinvention includes a frame l8 having slides H slidably mounted thereon,a key holding slider 52, and suitable charts including a staff chart 3,a major scale transposing guide [4, and a chord guide ii.

The frame i0 is formed with side bars l-i and ll, with the endsconnected by vertically disposed bars 18 and i9, and with the bars 16and l? provided with pins 20 having heads 2| and locking nuts 22, asshown in Figure 6, by which the slides or sliding bars H are slidablymounted on the side bars through slots 23 and 24, as shown in Figure 5.The slides are formed with relatively narrow key engaging ends 25 and 26which extend beyond the bars, and notes 2'! on one side and 23 on theother are provided on the upper surfaces of the slides with indicia 29and 30 on the sides, respectively, designating the keys. Ehe notes arepositioned to show through openings 3i of the treble and bass staffs 32and 33, of the chart l3, and the indicia are positioned to show througha row of openings 35, also on the chart, with the chart positioned on akeyboard of a piano, as shown in Figure l. The inner edges of the sidebars l6 and ll are formed with notches 35 and 36, respectively, toreceive the edges of the charts positioned against the slides, and theends is and 19 are provided with U-shape clips 3'? having arms 38 and 39with inwardly extending ends 40 and 4! for holding the ends of thecharts, as shown in Figures 1 and 8.

- The vertically disposed bar i8 is formed with 4 extending ends 42 and43, and the bar IS with ends 44 and 45, which hold the framesubstantially vertical from end pieces 46 and 41 of a piano, the saidextending ends being positioned in slots 48 and 49 of the end piecesrespectively, as shown in Figure 1.

In the design shown in Figure 9 the frame is formed with side bars 58and 5| with the ends connected by bars 52 wherein the notches in theinner edges are omitted, and it will be understood that the frame may beformed of any suitable design.

The front panel 53 of the piano is provided with a key holding indicatorchart 54, as shown in Figure 15, and this chart is provided with indicia55 indicating certain scales. The slider [2, which is slidably mountedon a square bar 56 is actuated by a finger grip 51 that extends throughthe panel 53, as shown in Figure 20, and the grip is formed with points58 and 59 that are positioned to register with the indicia on the chart54 to set the lugs '60 and (ii of the slider under certain keys when aplayer is playing a particular scale. The grip 57 is mounted on the endof an arm 62 and extends through a slot 63 in the panel 53. The lugs 69and 6! are formed as shown in Figures 18 and 19, and the lugs are turnedover by a lever 64 which is pivotally and slidably mounted on a pin 55through a slot 66, as shown in Figure 21, wherein the lower end of thelever is pivotally attached to the end of an arm 6? by a pin 68, and thearm extends from the end of the bar 53. In operation, the lever 64 isfirst drawn upward, and then moved from one position to another to placethe lugs in neutral positions, and then when it is desired to hold thekeys, the lever is pressed downward to the position as shown in Figure21, in which the shaft or bar 53 is positioned so that the lugs 60 willengage the under surfaces of the keys of the piano. The bar 58 ispivotally mounted in bearings 69 and E6, and the outer end of the slideractuating arm 62 is provided with a guide II that is slidably mounted ina slot T2 in a bar 73, as shown in Figure 1'7.

In use the frame with the slides thereon is positioned on the keyboardof a piano with the lower ends of the slides resting on the keys l4 and15, and as a key is struck its corresponding note and letter designatingthe key appear in the respective openings in the chart 63, wherein theplayer may instantly ascertain the position of the note on the staff andat the same time see the name of the key. For some uses it is desired touse the major scale transposing guide 14 or the chord guide i5, andother charts or guides such as the tonic chord chart 16, the subdominantchord chart Ti, or the dominant seventh chart l3 may be used. The guide54 is provided with elongate slots 7:? on the staff, and a row ofopenings which are positioned to register with the openings 3d of thechart i3, and the chord guide I?) is formed with a sloping upper surfaceBI and a row of openings 82 corresponding with the openings 34 of thechart E3. The charts 75, ll, and 18 are also provided with openings 83,84 and 85 respectively, to correspond with the openings 34 of the chart[3, and through which the letters designating the keys are visible asthe key is pressed down.

It will be understood that other changes may be made in the design andarrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a key indicating frame for piano instruction, the combinationwhich comprises a frame having horizontally disposed parallel side barsand vertically positioned end bars extended across the keyboard of apiano, vertically aligned pins with heads thereon positioned at equallyspaced points on the said horizontally disposed side bars and centeredon the keys of the keyboard of a piano, parallel sliding bars withtapered ends and having elongated slots extended through the facethereof adjacent the said ends and positioned on the pins of thehorizontally disposed bars with the pins in the slots thereof and withthe head of the pins extended on the faces of the bars, a chart havin astaff thereon with an upwardly sloping row of openings positioned on andbetween the lines of the bass and treble clefs of the staff and ahorizontally disposed row of openings spaced from the lower edgethereof,

the openings of both rows spaced to correspond with the pins of thehorizontally disposed bars of the frame, said sliding bars having notedesignations thereon positioned to register with the said upwardlysloping row of openings and having letters thereon designating the namesof the keys of the piano positioned to register with the saidhorizontally disposed row of openings, a major scale transfer guidehaving vertically extended elongated openings therethrough positioned onthe chart having the stafi thereon and said elongated openings beingpositioned to correspond with the openings of the sloping row ofopenings of the chart, a chord guide having groups of openingstherethrough corresponding 1.

with chords of musical compositions positioned against said major scaletransfer guide and means mounting the frame on a piano.

2. In a key indicating frame for piano instruction, the combinationwhich comprises a frame having horizontally disposed parallel side barsand vertically positioned end bars extended across the keyboard of apiano, vertically aligned pins with heads thereon positioned at equallyspaced points on the said horizontally disposed side bars and centeredon the keys of the keyboard of a piano, parallel sliding bars withtapered ends and having elongated slots extended through the facethereof adjacent the said ends and positioned on the pins of thehorizontally disposed bars with the pins in the slots thereof and withthe head of the pins extended on the faces of the bars, a chart having astaff thereon with an upwardly sloping row of openings positioned on andbetween the lines of the bass and treble clefs of the staff and ahorizontally disposed row of openings spaced from the lower edgethereof, the openings of both rows spaced to correspond with the pins ofthe horizontally disposed bars of the frame, said sliding bars havingnote designations thereon positioned to register with the said upwardlysloping row of openings and having letters thereon designating the namesof the keys of the piano positioned to register with the saidhorizontally disposed row of openings, a major scale transfer guidehaving vertically extended elongated openings therethrough positioned onthe chart having the staff thereon and said elongated openings beingpositioned to correspond with the openings of the sloping row of theopenings of the chart, a chord guide having groups of openingstherethrough corresponding with chords of musical compositionspositioned against said major scale transfer guide, a transverselydisposed shaft extended across the keyboard and positioned below thekeys thereof, a sleeve slidably mounted on said shaft having a pluralityof sets of cams thereon corresponding with the keys of different keys ofa piano, means adjusting the cams along the shaft, and means turning thesaid sleeves for setting the cams to neutral positions and with one ofsaid sets of cams engaging keys of the keyboard for preventing actuationof said keys. 7

3. A piano key retainer comprising a square shaft for use on a piano andadapted to be positioned transversely of and below the keys thereof, anelongated tubular slider mounted on said shaft and having groups of lugsthereon, an arm carried by said slider and positioned to extend throughthe case of a piano in which the shaft is positioned for actuating theslider longitudinally of said shaft, and a lever adapted to be slidablyand pivotally mounted in the case of the piano for rotating the saidshaft whereby lugs of the groups selectively engage the keys of thepiano for preventing operation of certain of the keys.

JOSEPH H. WILLIAMS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 857,260 Salyer June 10, 19071,071,366 Stephenson Aug. 26, 1913 1,137,394 Fowler Apr. 27, 19151,564,392 Williams Dec. 8, 1925

